After almost two years of hard work; researching, navigating dangerous terrains, and having very difficult conversations, I am so so proud – one of the proudest moments of my professional life – to announce the premiere of Earth Women on Sunday, 3 April 2022.
This documentary is a product of the SITEI-Woman project under the auspices of CSR-in-Action’s 10-year-old Sustainability in the Extractive Industries Initiative (SITEI). It follows the lives of select women in oil and gas and mining communities in order to graphically showcase the effects of exploration on communities, biased societal constructs, and how women bear the brunt of associated challenges. And folks, will your eyes be opened!
COVID-19 and insurgency tried to limit us, but we pushed through, thanks to assured funding from Ford Foundation.
“As an African and reformer, I embrace my calling to use storytelling to bring focus to issues that matter to us most in Africa. No one but us must tell our stories and in our own voice”.
Earth Women is a 30-minute dramatised documentary focused on community women, women artisanal refiners, miners, women leaders as well as male members of communities in the oil and gas and mining industries.
It is expected to draw attention to themes revolving around gender-based violence, discrimination, oppression and suppression, health and safety issues faced by women in artisanal mining and exploration, rape and prostitution spearheaded by expatriates and locals, culture-promoted human rights abuses with the aim of educating and driving the Nigerian leadership and populace into taking systemic action on gender discrimination and gender-based violence in extractive communities. It will also serve to create awareness for not just the ills but the success stories in the industries.
